Johan's Crusade
by sasami2002
Summary: The Smurfs help Johan on his quest to save Peewit's life.
1. Another Adventure Begins

Writers Note:

This story is being written for my personal love and enjoyment of Johan, Peewit and the Smurfs.

Balthazar's forest in this story was inspired by the Aokigahara forest in Japan, the creepiest forest in the world. I have never been there and have no intention on ever visiting it. The battle scene towards the end of this chapter was inspired by an old sword and sandal classic movie, "Jason and the Argonauts".

Johan, Peewit, Princess Sabina, Balthazar, Bayard, Biquette and last but not least the Smurfs are all the wonderful creations of Peyo.

Bell and Sir Phillippe belong to me :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: Another Adventure Begins<strong>

Johan lunged his sword at the invisible enemy, as he pretended to avoid his attack. He ducked and then lunged at the invisible legs. He jumped up and moved backward as if in a dance and then spun around and thrust his sword in the invisible assailant's heart. He then bowed.

"Thank you, thank you" he said, to the damsel he made believe was watching. "But, I really do it all for my country and for my beloved." He picked up a flower and sniffed it then dropped it on the ground. "If she knew I were alive", he muttered.

"Johan!" a familiar high-pitched voice called. "I'm glad I caught you!"

Johan tried to hide his amused grin. "What did you do this time, Peewit?"

The diminutive blonde jester laughed hysterically. "Me? Nothing! Is it a crime that I want to talk to my best friend without wanting anything?" Johan fixed him with such a look, that Peewit changed his mind. He knew Johan too long to put something over him.

"Well, I was at Bell's tavern when I played her brothers in cards, and I might just have had too much ale, so not only did the trick cards come out of my sleeve, but one of them flew in Bell's direction."

"So, what's the harm in that?" Johan asked, knowing that there was more to the story.

"Well, it landed on Bell's lap, only I did not see it until I felt around for it"

"You felt her lap?" Johan asked.

"No, a little higher", the jester replied with a tone that indicated he wasn't completely sorry that he behaved indecorously.

Johan sighed "You know she is going to hurt you."

"And there's more...," Peewit continued.

Johan held up his hand, "No, I think I've heard enough. What are you planning on doing about it?"

Peewit laughed heartily. "Why me, why I'll challenge her brothers to a duel! I want you to be my witness, even my second if things get rough for them!"

"Here's your chance," Johan smiled as he pointed to a petite young blonde woman who was being followed by three large lumbering men.

Peewit glanced over his shoulder fearfully. "Hide me!" he squeaked and hid behind a large oak tree that was nearby.

Johan waved cheerfully at the young woman. She was the same age as Peewit but a few inches taller. She glared at Johan like she would have ripped him apart. She put her hands on her blue and white dress. Her thick blonde hair curled in a messy ponytail. She glared with blue eyes that looked on fire and a mouth that was turned downward. Bell's brothers contrasted with her. While she was small and slight, they were tall and muscular. They all looked alike with their bushy beards, dark hair, and grins that indicated they would have ripped the young squire in half if their baby sister would give permission.

"Johan!" she said sourly.

"Bell", Johan began civilly.

"Where's Peewit?" she began. "My brothers want to teach him a few things about how to treat a lady!"

Johan bit his lip to keep from smiling as he imagined Peewit's response _"Bring a lady and we'll find out."_ "Uh, I'm sorry, he isn't here. I think he is at the marketplace, yes, I believe that's where he was going," Johan said.

Bell looked at her brothers as if to ask if she should believe him. They nodded and shrugged. She turned to Johan. "All right, we'll check there, but I'm warning you Johan, if that lying, cheating, big nosed, loud mouthed, midget touches me where I don't want him to touch again, I'll make sure it will be the last thing that he ever puts his hands on!"

"Yes m'lady", Johan said, as they walked off. "All right you can come out." Johan called out. Peewit climbed out from behind the tree.

"Thanks buddy," Peewit said. "Big nosed?" he laughed pretending to be offended by the young tavern maid's insults.

"It's alright, it's what I'm here for," Johan teased. "But, I do believe it's love."

Peewit screwed his face and made gagging sounds. "Forget it, don't cheapen mine and Bell's hatred for each other with love!" Peewit then smiled and mused for a moment, "_Hmm...then again, Bell is kind of cute."_

The two friends walked into the castle for awhile chatting about such light topics. They had just entered the main keep when they bumped into a few knights headed by the king's first knight.

"Good evening, Sir," Johan said politely.

"Good evening, uh, squire" Sir Phillippe said. "I'd love to chat, but we are on a mission."

"What sort of mission?" Johan asked curiously.

Sir Phillippe sighed, "Well, if you must know, we are going to Balthazar's mountain. We believe that mad wizard is plotting to destroy the kingdom."

"I must go too," Johan said determined.

Sir Phillippe laughed as the other knights joined him. "Really, I think that you shouldn't. After all you haven't completed your training yet."

"But sir," Johan said, breathlessly. "I will soon be ready to become a knight! I need this mission!"

"The only thing you need is to stay here!" Sir Phillippe corrected. "I'll admit you have proven yourself in countless tasks, but it's too dangerous. Maybe next time."

Sir Phillippe then looked over at the other knights and shouted "Come men! The saddles are ready and we have to leave now to make it to Balthazar's before nightfall!"

Johan sighed as the knights walked off.

"Apparently, he has a squire confused with a page," Peewit said watching them go. "If only I could fire that guy." He looked over in Johan's direction, but could already see the squire heading out, no doubt to his horse, Bayard. "And there he goes," Peewit said. "Where are you going?"

"If I wait around for Sir Phillippe to give me an assignment, I'll be an old man of forty!" he said. "I'll find Balthazar myself!"

"Alone?" Peewit nervously asked. The jester closed his eyes and cringed because he already knew what the squire's reply would be. He then continued, "Johan, I will pay you several pieces of gold if you don't say, no, we'll do it together."

"No, we'll do it together," Johan said, ignoring the attempt at bribery.

"I was afraid you'd say that. No thanks, I'll wait here." Peewit said.

Johan touched his friend's arm kindly. "If you don't want to come, you don't have to. You know I never force you to come, you can wait here."

Peewit grinned, "Are you kidding? I'm going with you. It may be dangerous, but I'll do it! Balthazar may kill us or turn us into fluffy bunnies, but I'll do it! I have to come, it's like we share the same brain. But, tell me you are not doing this just to show that pompous arse Sir Phillippe up, are you really doing this to impress a certain princess?"

Johan shook his head and cringed at the blush that was forming. "No, it is my duty as a future knight to serve my king."

"Hello Johan and Peewit," a soft voice said. Johan and Peewit looked up to see the red-haired princess standing between them.

"Sab-princess, your highness," Johan began, "You look very beautiful."

Sabina was dressed in a dark red velvet gown with full bell sleeves and lacing up the front and back. She had long ago stopped wearing her hair into two bunches around her ears, now she wore it in a long braid down her back.

"Thank you, Dame Barbara thinks that I should wear this for my next suitor," she sighed.

"Another one, doesn't that make it the second this month?" Johan asked.

"The third," she corrected. "My uncle is getting very disappointed in me. Both he and Dame Barbara told me that it should be my duty as a proper princess to choose a proper husband.

"Still haven't found him," he said. Sabina shook her head. "But, you'll find him, because he will love you, I'm sure of it."

She blushed as he continued. "I hope you do find him." He said, mentally, hoping that she wouldn't.

Sabina giggled. "Thank you, Johan, there is a reason you were always one of my best friends." She smiled and walked away.

Peewit, wide-eyed and speechless the entire time, waited until she was out of earshot before he wolf whistled and breathlessly sighed "Gee, the princess looks like a vision in a dream in that dress."

Johan blushed at his friend's well meaning, but too close to home comment. "Are you coming or not?"

Peewit shook himself back to reality and complained "I have to eat dinner first!"

"Very well," Johan rolled his eyes up and groaned.

* * *

><p>"Oh, Johan will you find Balthazar for my uncle? When you return, I'll give you a kiss," Peewit said mimicking the princesses' high voice as the two friends rode out through the forest.<p>

"Oh be serious, she did not say that" Johan said.

"No, but you probably wish she did," Peewit smiled at his friend.

Johan blushed a deep crimson. In the years that he and Peewit had known her, Sabina had changed from a close childhood friend into something more. The young squire would admit only to himself, and to Peewit after the jester pressed the issue too much, that he had fallen in love with the princess. But he knew that it would never happen. She was a royal, and he well wasn't. Even though he had always respected the king, he knew that it wouldn't matter how many battles that he had won, and how many tasks he participated in, the king would never consent. He would be wasting his breath, so as always he bit his tongue, but secretly he had always hoped that he could do one thing to impress everyone and then maybe.

As always, Peewit was blissfully devoid of inhibitions and couldn't resist any opportunity to play matchmaker, so he took out his lute and began strumming a song that he tried to put words to. His goat, Biquette groaned and covered her ears in anticipation of the song. "Johan-and-Sabina-what rhymes with Sabina?"

Peewit reached over and tapped his friend on the shoulder. "Be quiet." Johan whispered.

"Why, do you hear anything?" Peewit asked.

"No, I just want you to be quiet!" he said. "We are approaching Balthazar's lair." He pointed up to the large dark hill and through the woods.

The forest was vast and started to become shrouded in darkness the closer they approached Balthazar's castle. The dead trees were dense and thick making it almost impermeable. Johan rode in first as Peewit rode behind him. The squire hit at brambles and thicket of trees that were in the way with his sword, while the jester looked around and whistled nervously. There was an overwhelming eerie silence pressing in from all sides. The only signs of life were two teenagers, a horse and a goat. Bayard and Biquette were being very careful not to slip over the maze of knotted roots and slippery rocks. Both animals were starting to become nervous and agitated as if they sensed an ill presence approaching.

Johan thought he had heard a low growl. "Peewit, did you hear that?" he whispered, slightly turning toward his small companion.

"Oops, sorry, that was me" Peewit shyly grinned placing a hand over his stomach. "Heh,heh, I guess six roast chickens, four kettles of mashed potatoes and five loaves of bread was not enough food for me. He then whined, "I'm still hungry!"

"I have no time for your nonsense now Peewit!" Johan angrily replied.

"Why, oh why is it that evil wizards don't live in nice sunny homes?" Peewit wailed. "You...you know what's kind of weird, that we have been riding through these woods and nothing, not that I'm complaining or anything."

Johan nodded. "I know, I feel like we're missing something, like it's..."

"...A trap?" a powerful voice asked. The two teens turned around terrified at the tall bearded man who stood behind them.

"Balthazar!"Johan said.

"Yes, boys, and I believe that you two are trespassing, so I'll be nice and let you go," the wizard said smugly.

"Don't be so sure," Johan warned. "The king's army will be coming here any minute! Until then, you will have to deal with us!"

Peewit poked his friend on the shoulder. "Johan, we is you, a horse, a goat and me. Wait, not me. Forget me!"

"Your little friend speaks wisely," Balthazar sneered. "But if you two children insist on battling, you will have to battle all of us."

He raised his arms and the sky grew darker as lightning crashed and thunder smashed to the ground. Johan and Peewit jumped to get out of the way of the lightning. Where the lightning hit, a skeletal army appeared. The army aimed bows and arrows at the boys. Johan held up his shield to protect himself and Peewit. He struck at the arrows with his sword and edged closer to Balthazar. He alternated between defending and striking, finally getting close enough to strike the head off a skeleton. The skeleton shrieked as it fell. Peewit stayed behind his friend using him as a human shield. Johan jumped slightly ahead of him to get to Balthazar.

"Johan, wait up!" he called.

As Peewit called to his friend, he felt a sharp pain sear through his shoulder. He screamed as he fell. It felt like his right shoulder was on fire.

Johan turned to Peewit as he saw the arrow on his shoulder. "Peewit, you've been shot."

"I know," Peewit said sarcastically. Johan picked his friend up and put him on the back of his horse defending himself from the arrows as he rode out of the forest.

When they reached a clearing, Johan leapt off his horse and pulled Peewit off. He looked pale and drawn. Johan inspected the arrow. "It doesn't look too bad."

"It feels bad," Peewit complained.

"I mean it didn't break the skin. Now hold still, I'm going to take this out."Johan looked around. "I wish I had some brandy or whiskey to calm you." He picked up a stick. "This will have to do, bite on this."

Peewit put the stick between his teeth as Johan turned the arrow in an attempt to move it. Through the stick, Peewit gave a slight scream as he took it out. The squire then cut Peewit's sleeve open and removed his own blue cape. He ripped off an end of the cape and wrapped it around the wound. "There finished." He said as he removed the stick from his friend's mouth.

The two sat for a few minutes, until they shook off the fight. After awhile, Johan stood up and remounted Bayard. "I'm going to find a secret way in, you wait right here." he said.

"Bound and determined is your middle name, isn't it?" Peewit asked as he remounted Biquette.

"Peewit, no you wait right here," Johan said. "You still need to rest."

Peewit struggled to get on the goat's back. As he did he felt lightheaded and sick. "No way, you can't get rid of me that easy," he said as he had trouble breathing. "It's one for all and all for…" but that was as far as he got when he fell off.

Johan gasped and grabbed his friend from falling. He felt Peewit's forehead. It was burning hot to the touch. His forehead and cheeks took on a red color and his teeth were chatting. "It must be the arrow. I'll help you up." He mounted Bayard, holding onto Peewit. "We're not too far from the Smurf Village, maybe Papa Smurf has something that can cure you."

"Are you sure you don't want to go back?" Peewit asked. Johan turned to the forest from which they came.

"Yes, I'm sure," he said determined. Bayard raced with his two riders on his back. Biquette looked confused as to what was going on but she followed the horse riderless.


	2. Despair and Hope

**Chapter 2: Despair and Hope**

The bell rang throughout the Smurf Village, the entire race of little blue creatures ran out of their homes to see what the fuss was all about. Clumsy Smurf was the first to see the two human friends ride up and stop. Johan gently lay Peewit down on the ground then ran to Papa Smurf's house avoiding trampling on any curious Smurfs that ran by.

"Uh, howdy Johan, long time no smurf," Clumsy said. "How ya been?"

"Hello Clumsy, fine thanks, where's Papa Smurf?" Johan asked.

"I'm right here," called a familiar elderly voice. Johan turned to see Papa Smurf surrounded by some others including three young male Smurfs in individual clothing, a female little girl Smurf with long red braids in a pink outfit, and an even older Smurf with a yellow suit and a long white beard, none of which Johan remembered.

"Johan, what's the matter?" asked a very concerned Papa Smurf.

Breathlessly, Johan explained all that had happened from their journey to when Peewit was poisoned. "Do you still have the arrow?" Papa asked. Johan nodded and handed it to the elderly Smurf. Papa inspected the tip carefully without touching it. When he was through, he looked at Johan with glassy eyes.

He motioned him over and spoke sadly in his ear. "Johan, this arrow was laced with Phoenix Blood, even a slight touch could result in death. In two days, Peewit will be dead. I'm very sorry."

Johan put his head in his hands and gasped. He couldn't believe it. Peewit, his best friend, his funny little happy-go-lucky confidant was dying and it was his fault! "Please, Papa Smurf, don't let him die. There has to be a cure, there must be," Johan said choking back his tears.

"I will consult my books," Papa said and returned to his house.

Johan walked over to where Peewit lay, he could see the Smurfs had smoothed the grass down for him. "We thought we would make Peewit more comfortable, Johan," Smurfette said.

"Thank you, Smurfette," he said to the female Smurf as a couple of Smurfs moved to let him sit by his friend's side.

"What did he say?" Peewit asked, his breath becoming slow and labored.

"He said that you've been poisoned and that there is a cure, he's just trying to find out what it is," Johan answered, trying his best to sound optimistic.

Peewit laughed slightly. "You lie about as well as I sing."

Johan took his friend's hand and held it tightly. "Peewit, I swear to you that there is a cure, even if I have to find it myself," he vowed. _It was the least I could do, since I nearly killed him_, he thought.

Peewit sighed and spoke so softly, that Johan had to strain to hear him. "Johan, if there isn't one or if there is, and you can't find it, it's all right. I'll understand, you did your best."

"There is one, I swear to it," Johan spoke a lot firmer than he felt.

Peewit smiled and closed his eyes.

Johan watched his friend as he slept. Tears rolled down his cheeks the entire time as he wept softly. He felt terrible for scolding him earlier in Balthazar's forest when the little jester complained that he was hungry. What Johan wouldn't have given at that moment to turn back time and have his Peewit back to normal. He would never again complain about his little friend's screechy singing or bad jokes. The squire smiled as he remembered the many adventures the two had shared together. When they first met and how the infamous goblin of boulder woods rescued Princess Sabina and ultimately saved the entire kingdom. When they first met the Smurfs, rescued Papa Smurf and helped them save their village from the fire breathing dragon. Peewit was the one who found him after he fell from the bridge riding back to the castle to find a remedy for the visiting ambassador's teething child. He would have surely died if Peewit had not come when he did. Peewit was his best friend, his comrade and his brother in all but blood. At that moment, Johan silently vowed that he would do whatever it would take to save Peewit's life even if it meant losing his own.

A few minutes later, Papa emerged from his house. He held up his hand for silence. "As you know, our friend Peewit is critically ill. He has been poisoned by Phoenix's Blood. The only known cure lies in the Mountain of the Elementals." Hushed and frightened whispers fell among the crowd as Papa continued. "I am warning you that many have tried to reach the Mountains, but none made it out alive. There are grave dangers, but we could succeed. Are there any volunteers?"

"I will go," Johan said.

After a long silence, Hefty Smurf stood up. "I will go, you need a strong Smurf."

Brainy Smurf then stood up. "You need someone with intelligence, I mean, besides you Papa of course."

"I understand Brainy," Papa Smurf said grinning slightly.

Sassette then jumped up and raised her hand enthusiastically. "I want to go too. Can I Pappy Smurf, please?"

Papa Smurf almost opened his mouth to object, but then decided against it. The Smurflings were older now. "Very well, I too shall go."

The four Smurfs and their human friend prepared for their journey. Papa handed a handkerchief and a vial of yellow medicine to Clumsy, Handy, Nat and Smurfette, all who had volunteered to watch over Peewit. "This will wet his forehead and the vial will bring his fever down. The least we could do is to make his last hours on this earth comfortable."

"You don't think there is a cure, do you, Papa?" Handy Smurf asked.

"There is always hope, Handy," Papa said, but they could tell by the tone of his voice that he didn't believe it either.

"May I see Peewit before we go?" Johan asked. Papa nodded and he walked up to his friend.

Peewit looked paler than before. His breathing was still very slow. Johan squeezed his friend's hand tightly. "Peewit, there is a cure and we will find it," he said firmly but his voice took on a softer tone. "I am so sorry I got you into this."

"Hey, it's all part of being a jester and a one-man fan club," Peewit said brightly. "You'll come back soon?"

"Sooner or later," Johan said.

"Later, always later," Peewit said. The two friends smiled thinly at the old joke between them.

"May the road be easy on your travels," Peewit said before he closed his eyes.

Johan looked up at the other Smurfs who were motioning to him that it was time to leave. Johan nodded and squeezed his friend's hand again for good luck. He mounted Bayard and scooped the Smurfs up. Before they left, Biquette gave him a mournful cry.

"What, do you want to come too?" Johan asked. The goat nodded and followed them.

The other Smurfs waved at the travelers until they became lost in the horizon. Clumsy and Nat faced their stricken human friend. "I hope they come back soon," Nat said.

"I hope so too", Clumsy said.

Peewit opened his eyes to look at the horizon. "Please let the road be easy," he mumbled before he fell fast asleep.


	3. The Gift of Water

**Chapter 3: The Gift of Water**

The journey to the Elementals Mountain was a slow and sad one. Beyond the Smurfs occasionally asking Papa if it was much farther, and him growing angrier whenever they asked, there wasn't much conversation. Johan occasionally looked over to Biquette as if to see if Peewit was there, and his heart sank each time knowing he was not.

A few hours later, Papa Smurf pointed to a large blue mountain. "There, that's it," he said.

Johan pulled the reins and jumped off Bayard carrying the Smurfs with him. Biquette obeyed as Johan tied the two animals to a tree to keep them from moving.

"It says that this mountain has four gates that we must walk through to get the four gifts of the Elementals," Papa said consulting his books. "But that we must face the dangers of the gates first."

Hefty flexed his muscles. "Okay, we faced monsters before, we can take it."

The others nodded as they approached a clear blue river that encircled the entire mountain.

"What's this?" Brainy asked. "No boat, how do we get across?"

Hefty briefly dipped his fingers in the water when a crystalline feminine voice spoke. "To cross this river, smart one, requires payment.

The five companions looked around for the location of the voice when the water bubbled up as though it were being boiled. Suddenly, an opening appeared and a beautiful silver haired woman emerged from the water and stood facing them. Her gown seemed to be made of ocean pearls. She looked at them with clear aquiline eyes that seemed to come from a dead woman. The travelers gasped, and the Smurfs kneeled.

Dazed, Johan crossed himself whispering, "Holy Mother, Divine St. John, protect us."

When she spoke, it was a haunting lilting voice that seemed to lure people to her. "There is no need to be afraid. Welcome, I am the Undine, Elemental of Water and you are in the River of Emotions."

Papa was the first to speak. He approached the edge of the water and bowed low. "Great Elemental, my name is Papa Smurf and we are travelers that only wish to cross into your mountain to cure a dying friend."

"I am aware of that, wise one," the Undine answered. "And I will allow you, but as I said, safe passage requires a payment."

Johan looked down at his bag and opened it reaching for a few small coins. The Elemental laughed a tinkly laugh that was both musical and eerie at the same time. "Not that type of payment, squire. The payment I require is one of emotions."

She waved her hands around the river as it flowed. "This river carries thousands of tears, from feelings of sadness, anger and guilt from the souls of man. As you can see, it has built up considerably. My only payment is for you to unburden yourselves with the guilt that is buried in your hearts. But, only one traveler at a time. You must tell the truth. Tell a lie and you will drown from your own guilt."

The five travelers formed a huddle after the Undine finished speaking. "What did she mean Pappy Smurf?" Sassette asked.

"She means that we must tell her something that is true and that we haven't told anyone," Papa said.

"But wait a minute, Papa," Brainy objected. "If we say something we will all know it." The others nodded.

Papa shrugged. "We must be willing to take that chance. I'm sure there will be lots of ugly buried things we will find out about each other, before this journey is over. We must agree now that no matter what happens in there, that we will understand." The others agreed and Papa smiled, "I'll go first." He caught his breath and walked up to the edge. He glanced straight at the Elemental who towered over him considerably. He knew exactly what to tell her.

"Great Elemental, many years ago when most of my Smurfs were still Smurflings, I gave an ailing young one a medicine that had poppy seeds in it and he almost died." He bowed his head low to hide his emotions.

Johan looked around at the other Smurfs. They looked as surprised as he did, except for Brainy, who bowed his head low.

The Undine nodded. "You may pass, wise one." A small dry pathway formed allowing Papa Smurf to reach the edge. He stood at the mouth of a cave waiting for the others.

The remaining four looked at each other. Before anyone could say anything else, Sassette gulped and walked to the edge. "Miss Undine, awhile ago the other Smurflings were captured by Pappy Gargamel, but it was my fault. See, we were playing near his hovel when we weren't supposed to and the boys got into a trap. I ran and at first, I didn't want to get help because I was afraid that I would get in big trouble and I was so glad I got away. But, I kept getting worried about the other Smurflings, so I said that they were trapped, but I didn't say how. We freed them, but it was my fault and no one knew accept me." The little Smurf girl sobbed openly. The Undine smiled kindly as she allowed her to pass. Sassette ran up to Papa Smurf and he hugged her.

Hefty came next. "Madam Elemental, I am in love with the Smurfette. I haven't told anyone about it until now. I know a lot of us Smurfs do, but the way I feel about her is that I want to marry her and for her to be mine forever. It's gotten to the point where I feel so angry when the other guys try to be with her, I want to punch their lights out! But, they're my friends. She doesn't know how I feel because she thinks I'm her friend." He bowed his head as the crossway formed.

Brainy approached the Elemental next. "Oh Illustrious Phantasm, years ago a fortuitous chance resulted in conflicting emotions for myself and malicious feelings from others."

"Smart one, if you wish to unburden yourself speak so I can understand you," the Undine answered dryly.

Brainy sighed. "Once when Papa Smurf was gone for a time, we had an election to elect a leader and I set up a kingdom in which I was supreme ruler. The others became enraged after I overstepped my bounds. But, as I was king, I enjoyed it. I loved being the ruler. I loved the absolute power it had given me. Why even now, I think back on that time and shudder not because of what I did, but how it made me feel." Brainy shuddered involuntarily as the pathway formed for him. When he approached the other side Sassette smiled and even though Papa and Hefty welcomed him, they seemed cordial, rather than overly friendly.

Johan approached the Elemental and kneeled. "Elemental, as you know my best friend is dying and it is my fault. The two of us went up against a powerful wizard that we had no business going against because of me. I only did it to impress the people around me, the knights, the princess, the king. I wanted…wanted to be a knight to help my country, but my friend is dying because I allowed my pride to get in the way. It's my fault and I am so sorry." He gulped as tears sprang from his face.

"You may pass too, squire," the Undine said. Johan wiped his eyes as he reached the pathway.

The Undine smiled. "You have all made proper payment. Now, here is your reward." She put her palm under her mouth and blew them a kiss. Foam appeared and sprinkled into the open bottle that Papa Smurf held. "You may continue into the mountain."

The Smurfs walked into the mountain single file with Johan right behind.

"You know Johan, it's just the impending demise of Peewit that has manifested in this guilt that you have projected onto yourself," Brainy remarked.

"Huh?" Johan asked confused.

"It's not your fault Johan," Brainy said.

"I'm not so sure, " Johan muttered, but then cleared his throat. "How come when Papa Smurf told that story, everyone was surprised but you? Did you know about it?"

Brainy nodded. "Oh yes, I was that Smurfling."


	4. The Gift of Fire

**Chapter 4: The Gift of Fire**

Nat Smurf shyly walked up to the ailing Peewit carrying a small bowl of soup. "Hi Peewit," he said. "I thought I'd give you something. Greedy made it especially for you."

Peewit looked quizzically at the gift. It was in a bowl that to the larger human was the size of a thimble. Peewit almost politely declined, but he looked at the little Smurfling's face. He and Greedy had worked so hard on it. The jester took a sip as the soup barely touched his mouth. "Thanks Nat," he said.

"Hey, did I ever tell you the story of how I became a Smurfling again?" asked Nat.

"No, you never have." Peewit sluggishly responded.

So, Nat explained how he, Slouchy and Snappy went into Father Time's clock and became younger and then explained how they made Sassette.

"So, Gargamel has a magic spell that can create female Smurfs," Peewit observed dryly. Then he began to cough violently. After awhile his coughing subsided and he fell over shaken and pale.

"I'm sorry," Nat said softly.

"It's okay, it happens," the jester said.

From her house, Smurfette sadly watched the ailing human. She looked up towards the sunrise. "Please, please come back soon," she whispered as a single tear ran down her left cheek.

* * *

><p>In the cave, Hefty wiped the sweat that was forming on his forehead as the group went further and further inside. "Is it getting hotter in here or is it just me?"<p>

Brainy took off his hat to wipe the steam that had formed on his glasses. He shook his head. "No Hefty, the temperature has reached an accelerated rate far beyond the standard degrees of normal temperature since we have descended into this cave."

"Huh?" replied Hefty.

Brainy rolled his eyes. "Yes, it's getting hotter Hefty."

Sassette hovered too closely on a ledge to get a better look at the cave. As she leaned over, she lost her footing. With a scream she almost fell over the side. Johan leaned over and gently picked the female Smurfling up. "Thank you, Johan," Sassette said, deeply sighing as she looked up at him.

"You're welcome Sassette," Johan said as he put her next to Papa Smurf.

Papa Smurf couldn't miss the gazing look Sassette gave the human squire. He rolled his eyes and smiled. "Memo to Smurf, watch out they start young," he chuckled.

As the group walked further into the cave, they came upon a river of lava. The stench of sulfur and incense was overpowering, so much so, that it made their eyes burn and overpowered their sense of smell.

"Chattering chipmunks, would you just look at this place?" Sassette exclaimed.

"This must be the home of the second Elemental," Papa observed.

"This is what I always imagined Purgatory would look like," Johan said. _How fitting_, he thought.

"Thank you very much squire!" a sardonic voice said. "Do I come to your home and say it reminds me of a sweltering inferno? Do I visit you and say 'Nice place you got here. It would just be a lot nicer without the biting demons and tormenting death?"

The Smurfs and human looked ahead of them on a magma rock as three little flames burst on it and danced around the rock. They drew back in surprise as the flames got larger and larger until they formed an image. The flames fell as the image formed into a small orange reptilian creature. He spread his wings out revealing his small form. He stared at them through ember eyes that were between three large horns on the top of his head. He spoke with a sardonic swagger to his voice.

"I am the Salamander and welcome to the Pit of Illusion!"

The Salamander floated over to the small group coming so close to them that they couldn't concentrate as they spoke. They asked him questions that he seemed to know the answer to before asked.

Papa asked, "Are you-?" "Yes."

Brainy asked, "Can you-?" "Yes."

Sassette asked, "Is there-?" "Oh, yes!"

Hefty was getting irritated, "Will you-?" "No."

Johan asked, "Will there-?" "Wait what was the question again?" "Will there-?" "Yes."

"How did you-?" the squire asked interested.

"Intuition, all of us Elementals have it," the Salamander answered smugly.

"Now, I will help you cure your little friend, but first you have to go through my pit," he said. "You will walk through individually or as a group, it doesn't matter, you will all see something different even if you somehow bump into each other. Through that pit you will see terrible things. Your worst fear but it isn't real, hence the title, Illusion. You may want to fight it but don't bother, you would lose anyway."

Johan and the Smurfs glared at him as he continued. "Now, remember if you run from it, it's perfectly okay, but you will not be allowed back in. You may go in now."

The five companions exchanged glances and walked ahead as the pit swirled around in a fiery cave. Blinking back the heat they walked in.

Johan staggered into the circular fiery dome. His mouth felt dry and his throat felt parched. The more he walked the more he staggered. Part of him wanted to stop and turn back, but the other part of him remembered that he couldn't return. _I have to help Peewit_, he thought. He looked ahead and saw a green field. _That must be the next gate_, he thought as he walked towards it. He stumbled into a meadow just as a group of peasants were running from a small legion of knights. The knights surrounded the peasants.

Ignoring the Salamander's warnings that the illusions were not real, Johan kept his hand on the hilt of his sword and approached the scuffle. Mostly, the young squire kept his eyes on the knights' commander. He was a tall, well built, muscular man in a fine suit of white armor. His horse was a fine white horse festooned with a red saddle and an emblem that Johan couldn't quite make out. The man took off his helmet and glowered down at the peasants. His raven black hair trailed down to his shoulders and hung behind his back. His face was masked with a cold haughty arrogance. Johan felt that there was something oddly familiar about this man that he couldn't quite place, though he had never seen him before.

"Kill those peasants! They will never rebel again!" He commanded in a voice devoid of emotions. At his command, the other knights slaughtered the peasants one by one. Johan readied his sword to charge at the murdering knights. The lead knight stopped at a peasant woman who spat on his face. "Tyrant! Black Hearted Demon!" she cursed.

"You must thank me for saving your soul woman!" the man said. But still the woman ignored him. "I curse you, may you suffer Sir Johan the Black Hearted!"

The words rang in Johan's head like cathedral bells. _Sir Johan the Black Hearted! Sir Johan the Black Hearted! That monster, the one who had just ordered the slaughter of those peasants was him? No, I won't believe it_, he thought.

Sir Johan turned to one of his knights. "Insolent stupid old woman, kill her and then let's make our way to the Smurf village to destroy those monsters."

"No!" Johan yelled. He lunged his sword and charged at his evil older self but fell through the image on his face. Johan listened as the clip-clop of the horses' hooves died down. He looked up at the retreating knights. This was what he would become, a self-righteous monster who instilled fear and hatred into the people. He was suddenly filled with fear and self-loathing. He would kill those peasants and the Smurfs as easily as he killed Peewit.

"But, I didn't kill Peewit," he said. "He was struck by a poison arrow."

"He was traveling at your command," a voice seemed to say. "He is dying because of you. He followed you." Johan nodded, "I know, but I won't let him die."

He stood up as he turned to the direction from which he came. "Peewit, I will save you," he vowed as he left the meadow.

Hefty looked through his surroundings. He had left the fiery tunnel and now overlooked a cliff. _How did I get outside?_ he thought. Then a scream made his heart jump. He ran to see what the trouble was.

Smurfette was dangling by the edge of the cliff. "Hefty, help me!" she screamed.

"I have you Smurfette!" he reassured her.

He grabbed her by the hand and tried to pull her up. He was surprised that he couldn't keep hold of her. "It's alright, I'll rescue you Smurfette," the strong Smurf promised, but he puffed as he tried to keep hold. The more he struggled with her, the more he lost his grip on her, the more she slipped from him. Hefty felt limp and weak as he tried to hold onto her. She was slipping from his fingers. "Hefty, don't let go," she begged as he held her by her fingertips.

"I'm trying not to," he said as he looked at the blonde Smurf's face as she fell. She looked back at him with a desperate look as she fell from his grasp and down to the cliffs below.

"Smurfette!" he yelled. "Smurfette!" He reached down, but all he could feel was air. Then he sadly sank on the side of the cliff. Smurfette was gone, he couldn't save her and he never told her that he loved her.

"I'm so sorry Smurfette," he cried as tears rolled down his cheeks. _I should have told you back at the village how I felt_. He closed his eyes and thought, _the village! Smurfette is still there! But how did she-?_ Then, suddenly he recalled he wasn't on a cliff. "This is some rotten trick!" he angrily said as he stood up. As soon as he stood, the cliff cleared away until he was in the cave again. "I have to find the others and I'm gonna give that Salamander the beating of his life!"

"Hello?" Brainy called out as he walked in the dark cave. He felt along the walls for a crevice or an opening, anything to tell him where he was. He laughed slightly._ If that Elemental believes that I am terrified of the dark then he doesn't know that I realize that the dark is just a natural phenomenon,_ he thought. He felt along the walls as he called out to his friends, but only received an echo as a reply. He felt his way in silence until he fell into a large gap in the ground. The Smurf screamed as he fell down a hole to the ground below. The force knocked his glasses off his head. He stumbled around in the dark looking for them, on his hands and knees feeling for a sign of his glasses and then hopefully knowing where he was. His hands felt the frames and he put the glasses on his head, silently giving thanks that they weren't broken.

A loud bang made him jump. He looked up and saw that he had been thrown into a large container of some sort. He called for help, but he knew that no one would be able to hear him. _Okay Brainy, you can think your way out of this,_ he thought. He jumped up hoping to reach the top, but barely left the floor before he fell back down.

_Now what do I do?_ he thought. A loud and rusty squeak resounded from the sides and top of the container. Brainy tried not to look around him, but his curiosity overcame him. The sides and top were closing in on him! Brainy felt his mouth go dry and his heart pump several beats per second. He raced around the diminishing container looking for any sort of way out. "I can use my brain, I just have to think", Brainy said. "Oh Smurf, HELP!" Brainy screamed hoping that someone would hear him, but his voice became more muffled as the container closed in all around him.

Sassette screamed for the others hoping to hear another voice, but she heard nothing. The little girl Smurf tried to follow her friends, but wound up getting lost. The more she tried to look for them, the more lost and the more alone she felt. She felt a lump in her throat. Come on Sassy, don't be such a baby, she thought to herself, just find the others and find the cure for Peewit! She sat down on a rock remembering what Papa Smurf once told her about getting lost and staying where she was until someone found her. She sat on the rock looking from one end of the cave to the other hoping that the others would soon appear.

Suddenly, the rock moved and knocked her over until she tumbled to the ground. Sassette lifted her head and saw her reflection. She was standing on a red mirror. She smiled and giggled. The Smurfling stuck her tongue out and made goofy faces at the mirror. Just then, she heard a loud hiss. The mirror turned over and Sassette realized for the first time that it was not a mirror, but an eye. The other eye opened as the creature stood up on its eight legs. It was a large spider! Sassette stood up and clenched her fists.

"I ain't scared of you," she said. "It will take a lot more than that to scare me," she angrily exclaimed. The spider shrieked and it was greeted by similar sounding shrieks all throughout the cave. Sassette gulped as more spiders rose from the ground. She stepped back in fear as the spiders came towards her. "It will take something like that," she squeaked. She screamed as the spiders approached her like they would a meal.

Papa Smurf stepped out of the pit into what appeared to be a long hallway. Though torches lit the hall, the elder Smurf couldn't see because of his height. He called out to the others. "Hefty! Brainy! Sassette! Johan! Is anyone out there?"

"I am, Papa Smurf!" answered a familiar voice as the hallway suddenly became well lit enough for the Smurf to see. Papa Smurf stood face to face with the tall wizard that he knew all too well and that he hated to know.

"Gargamel! Where are the others?" Papa angrily asked.

"They're all at my place you vile disgusting Smurf," the evil wizard sneered.

"You are lying!" Papa declared.

Gargamel smiled. "Oh, am I? How do you think I got here? The Elementals and I planned this as a trap to get all of you. Nevertheless, didn't those two foolish boys try to attack my godfather?"

Papa tried to think. Was this a conspiracy between Gargamel and the Elementals? Did the wizard really have the others? Would Peewit die now? He looked squarely at the wizard.

"I don't care," Papa said. "I will defend my friends to the end!"

"Would you care to have a wizards duel?" Gargamel asked as he pulled out a wand.

"Gladly," Papa replied as he pulled out his own wand. Gargamel snidely waved his arm letting him go first.

Papa raised his hands and chanted allowing a gust of wind to blow Gargamel back. The human wizard raised his hands in mock terror, "Don't hurt me, please!" Gargamel then pointed his wand towards Papa Smurf and threw the wind back only this time, the larger gust knocked the tiny Smurf off of his feet.

"Giving up?" Gargamel taunted.

"I'm just getting smurfed up!" Papa said as he called for some energy.

Blue and purple blasts flew from his wand and scorched Gargamel. Once again, the evil wizard threw the blasts back sending them both into a powerful whirl of magic that picked up the elderly Smurf. Gargamel smiled and cackled, "Good bye Papa Smurf."

Papa Smurf struggled against the magic in fear. He tried to find a way out, but the more he struggled the more it squeezed tighter around him like a noose. "My powers are taking control. That's every wizard's worst fear," he said. "I just have to concentrate. This isn't real. It's an illusion." He kept chanting it to himself, until he felt the magic fade from him. As his fear and the illusion died, he felt someone's hand grab him. He stood and faced Hefty. The two Smurfs embraced as though they had been apart for years.

"Are you alright Papa?" Hefty asked.

"I'm fine, I just had a bit of a scare," the elderly Smurf said.

Hefty nodded. "Me too, have you seen the others?"

Papa shook his head. "Not yet," he replied.

Papa Smurf was about to suggest that they move on when they felt a sharp steel object poke at them.

"Who's there?" A familiar voice called. The two Smurfs looked up to see Johan standing over them.

"Johan, it's us", Papa said. "You've been hallucinating."

Johan blinked at the two small Smurfs. "Hefty? Papa? Is that you?"

Hefty nodded. "Who else did you think it would be?"

"Me", Johan replied flatly.

The two Smurfs exchanged puzzled glances, but hoped their friend had recovered from his illusion.

Johan's breath, came in short desperate gasps as he looked all around the cave as if to be sure that the Sir Johan the Black Hearted was no longer present. He cleared his throat and recovered. "Are you two all right?"

The other two Smurfs nodded as Hefty looked ahead.

"Is that Brainy?" The three of them exchanged glances and then ran to the direction that Hefty pointed. Brainy lay passed out on the ground. His body had turned into a light blue almost white.

"Is he-?" Hefty was about to ask.

Papa listened for his pulse and smiled. "No, he's fine." He then gently shook the Smurf. "Wake up, Brainy."

Brainy's eyes fluttered open. "Papa? Hefty? Johan?"

They shook their heads. "It was all an illusion concocted by the Elementals."

"An illusion?" Brainy asked and looked around as if seeing the tunnel for the first time. "Why didn't I-? Did you realize it?"

"Well, Hefty and Papa did," Johan said. "I had a little trouble."

Brainy looked at the other two Smurfs. "Hefty realized it? And I didn't?" He felt recovered and a little embarrassed.

A scream suddenly filled the tunnel. The four ran towards the scream. Sassette struggled on the ground trying to fight off an invisible something. "Get them off! Get them off!" she begged. Papa and Hefty grabbed the little Smurfling as she fought with them.

"It's us," Papa said. "It's just us." Sassette finally relaxed a little and then looked around in fear at Papa and Hefty. "I saw these ugly spiders that were bigger than me," she said.

"It's all right, it wasn't real," Papa reassured her. Sassette sank from their grasp when she realized that she was with the others. When she looked up at Johan, she blushed and quickly looked down feeling embarrassed. Sassette then smiled and rolled her eyes. _Don't get all mushy Sassy,_ she thought.

"Is everyone all right?" Papa asked.

The others nodded as they heard clapping. They looked around as the tunnel faded away from them and they found themselves once again in the Salamander's domain.

The Salamander sat lazily on his rock grinning at the five companions. "Congratulations, you have all gotten through the second gate without dying or turning back. I am very impressed," he said with a tone that indicated that he was not. "Not many usually make it through, they become so upset with what they saw that they either die of fright or kill themselves. I guess I will have to juice up the scares the next time around."

"Why I oughta-!" Hefty raised his fist in an attempt to attack the Salamander. Papa and Brainy held him back as the reptilian creature's eyes glowed a murderously red and he blew fire on the Smurf, charring him.

"Because of that, I shouldn't hold my part of the bargain, but because I am a gentleman I will," the Salamander said. "Now stick out the bottle."

Papa Smurf opened the bottle as the Salamander blew fire at them. The fire became smaller and smaller until it decimated in the bottle into a red liquid.

"Thank-," Papa began.

"Don't mention it," the Salamander said.

"Where is-?" Brainy asked.

The Salamander pointed at a tunnel below them. "The third elemental is through that tunnel down below to your left. Goodbye now." Without another word he disappeared.

Johan and the Smurfs exchanged confused glances and followed the Salamander's directions through the tunnel.


	5. A Gift From the Earth

Writer's Note:

The Earth Gate in this chapter was inspired by the movie "Labyrinth". Enjoy and please review :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: A Gift from the Earth<strong>

Smurfette left Peewit's side to fill a cup with water. It was a bit difficult carrying the human sized cup above her small frame. She barely got it in between the mushroom houses when it fell on the ground. She tried to lift it once again but it was too hard.

"Need a little help?" Handy asked as he walked by. "There's a trick to lifting these human sized cups. You pick it up by the handle." He grabbed one handle and invited Smurfette to follow suit. They then walked to a nearby stream and began to fill it with water

They had just finished filling the cup and were on their way back to the village when Smurfette suddenly let go of the handle and started crying. "What if they return and Peewit's already dead? What if they don't make it back at all?"

Handy held onto her. "Please don't cry Smurfette, they'll make it back and with the cure for Peewit I'm sure of it. You'll see", Handy said as he held on to Smurfette sounding confident but yet more uncertain.

Smurfette nodded, softly smiling as she wiped away her tears. "I know, I'm just worried that's all."

As the two small creatures approached the clearing they heard a loud scream that made them jump with fright. They ran to Peewit's side. The young jester was too weak to move much, but was tossing and turning on the ground as though he were struggling with something. His whole body seemed to burn. He mumbled in his sleep, something the Smurfs couldn't understand but knew instinctively the boy was feeling threatened. "Mama! Papa! Please don't die!" he cried. "Don't leave me alone! I'm cold and I 'm so scared!"

A couple of Smurfs tried to hold the human's hand but he struggled away from them.

"Peewit, it's all right. We're here. No one is going to leave you alone," Smurfette said as she tried to soothe the human's hand.

Handy reached in his pocket and pulled out the vial that Papa Smurf had given them and tried to pour it in the boy's mouth, but he couldn't sit still enough. Clumsy who had been watching snapped his fingers with delight. The Smurf stumbled through the village to Papa Smurf's house and emerged with a small brown jar. He held it with both hands taking great care not to drop it. He was able to run until he approached Peewit. He tripped over the jester's feet as the powder fell from the jar onto his body. Peewit struggled for a few minutes then relaxed, seeming to be overcome with exhaustion.

Handy opened the human's mouth and poured the liquid from the vial into his mouth. Handy then jumped down to eye level with his friend. "What was that Clumsy?"

Clumsy dug his toes in the grass in a shy manner before he spoke. "Um, I remembered once Papa Smurf used that to put someone to sleep. I thought it would come in handy, but I was supposed to put it in Peewit's mouth though."

All the other Smurfs smiled and Handy slapped him on the back. "Clumsy, you actually did something right." Clumsy blushed and shrugged off his friend's compliments.

* * *

><p>Johan and the Smurfs traveled in silence as they walked further into the cave and darkness. No one talked about the fire gate, because of the fear they saw. They were all worried about the next one. Would it be as frightening as the last? They entered another tunnel . It seemed to glow with crystals that were buried in the stones and on the stalactites and stalagmites. Papa Smurf took out his notes. "This is where the Third Elemental, the Earth Elemental lives."<p>

Brainy looked around, "Where?"

The others shrugged. Sassette wearily flopped on a rock. The rock wiggled from under her and it opened knocking her on her bottom. "Ow! " Sassette exclaimed as she looked into the face of a leathery gray creature. Her small face was surrounded by a mass of long thick gray hair. She stared through piercing yellow eyes and jagged teeth that looked like shards of rock. She glared at Sassette.

"Listen, do I lay my tuchus on your home, do I? Well, do I?" Sassette shook her head. "All right then, keep off of mine!" The creature almost went down into her underground home, before Papa stopped her.

"Madam, are you by any chance the Third Elemental?", he asked.

The creature angrily glared at him. "Well of course I am! But most mortals don't believe it since I'm the most beautiful."

The five companions exchanged glances and threatened to laugh at the small Elemental's conceit. She glared at them. "I said, most mortals don't believe it since I'm the most beautiful!"

Johan and the Smurfs got the hint. "Yes, you are very beautiful." "I wished I looked exactly like you." "No one surpasses your loveliness."

"Thank you," the Elemental smugly said. "I'm a gnome and the other Elementals told me you were coming." She pointed towards a cavern to her left and spoke in a bored voice. "Right through there is the next gate. It's a maze, so watch out. There will be all kinds of tricks to get you lost or killed. But, I prefer to kill you", she slightly laughed. "Ah yes, I'm supposed to give you a word of advice, trust each other. I'll be waiting for you if you get out, "she chuckled.

The small group looked at the cavern opening. "But-", Johan began.

"But what?" the gnome laughed. "Look handsome, I know you're sweet on me and want us to be alone in the dark together, but I'm not that kind of Elemental. You're just going to have to get your jollies elsewhere. I hate it when they get attached to me," she muttered as she descended back into her underground home.

Johan and the Smurfs walked up to the cavern entrance. "I suppose we should go in there, shouldn't we?" Papa said as he led them into the maze.

The companions seemed to be walking forever down a long passageway. "I don't get it," Sassette said as she panted feeling a loss of breath. "I thought this was a maze, but I don't see any pathways or openings, it just goes on and on."

Hefty looked ahead. "Wait, I see one!" he pointed to the far end, at a lit tunnel. He waved at the others to follow him, but he got a little too far.

"Hefty, slow down!" Papa yelled, but the other Smurf didn't hear, instead he kept running. When he finally reached the far end he disappeared and screamed.

"Hefty!" the others yelled.

"We have to look for him!" Johan exclaimed, and without another word or explanation the young squire ran ahead. The others called him back, but he would not listen. _I already failed one friend, I will not fail another_, Johan thought as he ran ahead. When he turned through the tunnel, he disappeared.

The three other Smurfs caught their breath. "Now what?" Brainy asked.

"We need a plan," Papa said. "Sassette, you wait here. Brainy and I will look for the others."

Brainy and Sassette nodded, not wanting to argue.

Sassette leaned against a wall trying to catch her breath. She was still scared, but tried not to show it. Suddenly, she felt the wall behind her disappear.

"Pappy! Brainy!" she yelled as she lost her balance and fell below.

Papa Smurf and Brainy ran towards the wall where Sassette had been, but it had already built up. The two Smurfs called to her, but Papa pulled Brainy aside. "It's no use," he said. "Take my hand, we'll look for them but we have to stay together." Brainy held Papa Smurf's hand as the two walked down the passageway together. When they were towards the end, Brainy looked curiously at the wall.

"Papa, look some strange writing," he said. The two Smurfs walked up to get a better view of the etchings on the wall. Suddenly, they were hit with a blinding light. Confused, Brainy put his hands to his face and covered his eyes. It took him a few minutes to reopen them and adjust to the light. But, when he could see again, he saw that Papa Smurf had disappeared.

"Papa!" he yelled. He then called for the others, but he feared it would do no good. For now, he was alone.

Hefty fell on the ground in a heap. "Okay, now what have those smurfing Elementals done now?" he cursed under his breath. He struggled to stand leaning against a wall for support. He shook his head to shake off the pain. _Remember_, he thought, _there might be a trick to this_. He blinked at a far off light he saw before him. _Maybe there isn't_, he thought as he tried to run for towards it. Hefty kept running and running, but he couldn't get any closer to the light. It still stayed the same distance away from him. He ran and ran, until he stopped to take a breath. He rested against a wall. _There has to be a way through this_, he thought. Then a light from the other end of the tunnel filled him. He looked in the opposite direction. _Maybe it's closer_, he thought, then ran to the other side. Again the tunnel seemed endless as he ran. Hefty sank down on the ground to collapse as he caught his breath.

Papa Smurf looked around the labyrinth feeling as lost as ever. "I must figure this trick out," he said to himself. "The others are depending on me to get them safely out," he said as he turned the corner to a green plant –like maze. _Okay, this shouldn't be as difficult as the puzzle of 1056_, he thought. "Smurf, that was a tough year," he said as he thought for a moment of where to turn. First, he turned a corner into a pathway. He turned once more and ran into a wall. As he approached the wall a loud blaring sound deafened him. Papa covered his ears in pain. When the noise died away, he moved again more determined than ever to get through the end of the maze. He turned another corner which led him down the right passage. Papa grinned and walked down it, but he came upon two tunnels, one that was more lit and the other darker. Papa rubbed his chin thoughtfully. _The Gnome has something planned in the lit tunnel, so I had better take the tunnel less traveled_, he thought as he walked down it. He felt his fingers along the wall until he came upon another dead end. Once again the loud noises bored into him. _It must be the other one_, Papa thought as he ran out of the tunnel into the other side. As he turned towards the other tunnel, he ran into a dead end. He covered his ears as the sound rang throughout the tunnel.

Johan struggled to catch up to Sassette as the little Smurfling ran ahead of him. "Sassette," he called. "We must stay together." But the female Smurf ran as if she didn't hear him. Johan ran up to Sassette just behind her, and tried to catch her but was blocked by glass. Johan ran his fingers along the glassy wall, as Sassette disappeared. He realized the trick, Sassette was a reflection from a mirror. Johan glowered and punched the mirror in frustration. _Curse those Elementals_, he thought.

"Johan, this way," he heard a voice call to him. Johan looked up to see Brainy Smurf pointing at him. Johan hesitated, but held onto his sword just in case. He followed the Smurf warily. Just as he approached him, Brainy disappeared. Johan glowered then looked around his surroundings. He was completely surrounded by mirrors. "A place only Vanity Smurf would love," he joked to himself.

Johan turned from one end to another realizing that there was no exit. _Maybe, it's through one of these mirrors_, he thought as he walked towards a dark mirror. He felt tense as his approached it. There was something in there that he just knew he didn't want to see. He glanced through the dark colored mirror that barely held his reflection. Suddenly, his face disappeared and he saw a young red-haired woman in a white dress standing next to a tall fair-haired man. They recited something in front of a priest, smiled and then kissed. Johan's heart sank as he recognized Princess Sabina. He felt jealousy and rage towards the man, and a deep longing for the princess. _"Well, it's your fault for not trying,"_ he could just hear Peewit say. _I don't have time for this_, he thought, _I must rescue my friend_! Suddenly, the image of the couple disappeared and he saw an even more familiar scene, one where a bunch of Smurfs stood in one area. Johan saw Smurfette holding someone's hand, but he couldn't make out who it was. The Smurfette dropped the hand and turned away crying. Johan looked closely, and saw Peewit his dying friend and he knew. He sensed the young jester looking at him with eyes full of disappointment and accusation as life drained from him.

Johan felt a cold sweat as tension built up within him. "No," he said desperately. He hit the mirror with his fists and kicked it with his feet to break through, but to no avail. His mind felt devoid of any emotions, except for grief and rage as he beat on the mirror. He finally picked up the blunt end of his sword and attempted to shatter the mirror with it. He then tried to shatter the other mirrors. He beat at them again and again, feeling like his mind was going until finally he dropped the sword and sank down to the ground in exhaustion.

Brainy wandered through an open cavern and looked out. He nearly lost his footing when he realized he was in an endless pit several feet up. The walls had identical openings and were lit by torches on each side. Brainy cautiously reached over to pick one up and experimented by throwing it down over the pit. The torch fell, but made no sound the lower it got. _Just as I thought, bottomless_, Brainy thought sarcastically.

"Brainy!" he heard a familiar girlish voice call. Brainy looked down and saw Sasette standing several feet below on the opposite end.

"Sassette?" he yelled. "I'm up here!"

"I can see that," Sassette said. "How do we get to each other?"

Brainy looked around. "What direction did you come from?" Sassette pointed to her right. Brainy nodded," That's where I came from, it must be, "He then looked to the left and whistled for Sassette. "There's a ramp on my side going downward. Is there one on your side going up?"

"Yes," Sassette said. Brainy smiled. "Good, you run on yours and I will run on mine." He watched as Sassette disappeared into the tunnel. Brainy then disappeared in his. He ran down the tunnel past the other openings. Then he turned a corner and counted to three, then looked out.

"Sassette," he called. "Are you here?"

"No," a testy voice answered. "I'm up here," Brainy looked up and saw that Sassette was in the same spot he was in moments before. He reeled in shock, but quickly recovered. "Okay, you stay there and I will try to get to you," he said. "I mean it, remain stationary!" Brainy then ducked into the tunnel this time climbing the ramp. He ran through the labrynthine twists and turns until he approached another wall of openings. He counted the tunnels until he came to the fourth and looked out and called the Smurfling's name.

"Brainy," she called back. "I hear you, but where are you?" Brainy looked up.

"Look below your feet," Brainy said. Sassette looked down and saw Brainy in the opening directly under her.

"Okay, this time you stay where you are and I will run to you," she suggested.

"Sassette, one bit of advice, " Brainy called. "Just go down."

Sassette listened as she ran down the ramp, she ran straight down and then through. _This has gotta work_, she thought, but when she looked out the opening, she saw Brainy directly across from her.

"Call me crazy, but I don't think that worked," she said sarcastically. "We have to think of something," Sassette said. "We went up, down, around. I stayed, you stayed, but nothing."

"What haven't we done yet?" Brainy said. He took off his glasses to clean them, and then put them back on. As he put them back on his face, a thought occurred to him. He dipped his toe off the cliff and knew that his hypothesis was correct. "There is one venue we haven't tried, Sassette!" he yelled.

"What?" Sassette asked.

"Straight across!" Brainy said. From the other side, Brainy could see Sassette react in fear.

"But, we'll fall," she said.

"No, we will not," Brainy reassured her. "Trust me, I'll walk to you and you will walk to me."

Despite his words of comfort, Brainy felt a little nervous himself as he stepped off the side. He stood on an invisible bridge, but that wasn't reassuring. Brainy took great pains not to look down. He looked directly at Sassette. "It's all right, Sassette, I assure you, "he said.

"The velocity is achieved by a level of suspension. Just walk to me, all right? But, don't look down."

Sassette was very reluctant as she stepped off. She put her toe off the side, but couldn't bring herself to move the rest of her body. She gently coaxed herself off the side. The Smurfling felt very dizzy, but continued to keep her eyes on Brainy as she approached him. Brainy walked towards the female Smurf. Both Smurfs kept their eyes on each other, not daring to look down once. They ran to the middle and to each other. "We did it!" Sassette exclaimed happily as she hugged Brainy. Embarrassed, Brainy drew back. "Yes, well, we must reassemble with the others," he said as they walked off the bridge on Brainy's side and out of the cavern.

Sassette and Brainy continued to walk until they reached a wall.

"Now what," Sassette asked.

Brainy was about to reply in the negative when he heard the sound of loud two Smurfs exchanged glances knowing who it was. "Hefty!" they both yelled.

Hefty looked up from trying once more to approach the end of the tunnel, but again it didn't work. Hefty banged on the wall and cursed, glad that Papa wasn't there to hear him. Then he heard someone call his name. "Who's there?" he called.

"It's Brainy and Sassette," Brainy yelled. "Hefty, your voice is getting louder when you reach this area."

"So?" Hefty asked.

"There must be a hidden passage here somewhere, walk right on through." Brainy observed.

There was a long silence in the air then Hefty's voice reemerged this time with suspicion. "How do I know it's you?" he asked. "And not a trick."

Brainy gritted his teeth, but then thought of an idea. "Who else knows you sleep with a teddy bear at night?" There was an even longer silence from the strong Smurf. The only sound that could be heard was Sassette's giggle . Then the voice reemerged. "All right it's you, Brainy," Hefty said. "What do I have to do?"

"Feel through the wall where you hear our voices, there should be an uneven spot and just walk on through." Brainy said.

Hefty felt the wall for any uneven spots, but so far all he felt was a smooth even surface. Finally, he felt a part where one side of the wall was larger than the other. "I found it!" he yelled. "Here I come!" He said as he jumped through.

Brainy and Sassette ran to their friend. Hefty clapped his hands delighted to see them again. Brainy motioned forward. "Come we still have to find Johan and Papa." Then he turned to Hefty with an amused grin on his face. "Excellent Hefty, Mr. Muscles would be very proud of you." Hefty blushed with embarrassment as Sassette laughed uncontrollably. "Don't you be telling Smurfette about that Mr. Muscles stuff," he demanded as he followed them.

Papa Smurf stood in the middle of the maze trying to recover his aching head. His head hurt from all of the rings that emerged every time he got through a wrong wall. Through his own luck, he was able to get to the center of the maze, but knew that he would never be able to get out. He even tried using magic to open up the maze, but any spell he used failed. He tried to think of any other means to get through, but came up short.

Suddenly he heard voices call his name, "Papa Smurf!"

He called out, hoping it was not a hallucination. "My little Smurfs?" He then heard three cheers. "Yes, Papa it's us!" Hefty yelled.

"Where are you Pappy?" Sassette asked.

I'm in this maze and I'm trying to get to find the exit," Papa told them.

"Papa follow the sounds of our voices?" Brainy said.

Papa almost stepped forward, but then a thought entered his head. _What if it's an Elemental trick_? Papa looked to the passage just as determined. _I have to trust the other Smurfs, they wouldn't fool me, but if it is a trick I will have to be on my guard_. He almost moved when another thought stopped him. "Oh my little Smurfs,"he said.

"Yes!" They all shouted.

"How can I follow the sounds of your voices if you don't talk?" he asked. There was another silence then he heard Hefty yell. "Are you much farther Papa Smurf?"

Papa smiled at the old joke, among himself and the other Smurfs. He turned the corner and walked past a passage. "Not much farther my little Smurfs," he said.

"Are you much farther Pappy Smurf?" Sassette asked as Papa went through another opening. "Not much farther my little Smurfs."

"Are you much farther Papa Smurf?" Brainy asked as Papa went straight ahead. Their voices were getting stronger and he was getting closer.

"Just a bit farther my little Smurfs," He said.

"Are you much farther Papa Smurf?" all three Smurfs yelled in unison as Papa turned the last corner through the exit.

"Not far now! " he yelled as the other Smurfs ran up to hug him. "Is everyone all right?" he asked. The other Smurfs nodded and began telling their adventures all at once when Papa held up his hand. "Slow down, remember we still have to find Johan," he said.

Sassette looked into a nearby cavern. "Hey, what are all of those mirrors for?" she asked. The other Smurfs followed the female Smurfling down to a mirrored tunnel. The mirrors where so bright, they practically blinded them. The Smurfs blinked to get adjusted to the light. When they recovered, Hefty pointed to the other side of a mirror. "It's Johan!" he yelled. The others looked in the direction he pointed and saw their human friend.

Johan walked as though he was being hunted. He jumped at an invisible assailant and then dove to attack but felt nothing.

"What's wrong with him?" Sassette asked.

"He's fighting a war inside himself," Papa said. "I haven't a moment to lose." He looked through the mirrors searching for a possible opening or a way inside, but found none. He then thought of something. _Maybe it didn't work in the maze, because it was my struggle_. He then further explained it to the puzzled Smurfs. "Maybe, if I use my magic to help Johan it will work." He then opened up his bag and poured some powder onto the mirror and recited. "Powder of life, help fight this vision. Give our friend some magical intervention." Just then the mirror glowed brightly and felt like water when Papa Smurf gingerly put his hand through it.

Johan reared back in fright. He had seen images of the many monsters and demons he faced and now this seemed like another hallucination. He felt his mind slip even more, but heard a familiar voice call his name again. "Go away!" he yelled. "You are an enemy!"

"Johan, it's Papa Smurf," Papa said. "Just walk through the glass. We have to help Peewit remember?"

"He's dead, I saw him," Johan said.

"We assure you that he is not dead," Papa said. "You have to believe that we would never hurt you."

Johan looked closely through the passageway. What they said seemed to get though to him. He warily stepped through the glass and onto the other side. He looked down at the Smurfs."It really is you," he whispered desperately. "All of you." He felt himself slowly return to reason.

"Yes, the Gnome's magic tried to divide us, so we couldn't trust each other," Brainy said.

"Aww geez, you figured it out," complained a voice. Suddenly all the mirrors disappeared and the five companions found themselves in a cavern with rubies, emeralds, diamonds and sapphires jutting out of the walls. The Gnome glowered at them and reluctantly tossed them a pouch of powder. Papa Smurf caught it with his hand and put it in the jar with the other gifts.

The Gnome glared at the travelers. "All right you got what you came for, what more do you want, a medal, a date with me? The fourth elemental lives up there on the highest peak, but I should warn you, his is the worst gate yet!"

"I'm sure we can handle it," Hefty resolved, but with slightly less conviction than he felt when he started the journey.

A low guttural sound, like a laugh came from the Gnome's throat then burst out as a guffaw. "Sure you can," she said. "You can handle it!" She cackled as she stepped back into her underground home.

"We'd better go," Papa said.

"After you, Papa Smurf," Brainy said looking up at the dark cave that howled from the wind.


	6. The Ultimate Price for the Gift of Life

**Chapter 6: The Ultimate Price for the Gift of Life**

Johan and the Smurfs walked up the tunnel a bit more. They seemed to be going higher and higher. The strong wind blew around them, sometimes knocking them over but they were able to stand still. They struggled as the wind beat against them, but finally they reached two pathways.

"Flippin' frogs, which one is it?" Sassette asked.

"Why don't we throw Brainy in and find out," Hefty joked.

Brainy glared at Hefty, and sniffed.

"Actually, there is a much better way. Do you all see what I see in the left tunnel?" Papa Smurf pointed. His companions peered through the tunnel to see what he was referring to.

"Light!" Sassette yelled.

"Exactly," Papa said.

"Wait, it could be another trap," Johan reminded them.

"Yes, we must stay together," Papa said. "And I mean together!" The Smurfs and Johan stood so close to each other as they walked through, that there was almost no room to breathe. The wind continued to get louder and then softer as they walked towards the light. The Smurfs and the human walked over a narrow ledge that reached to the end below.

They were so used to the darkness by now, that by the time they got to the end, the light over powered them. Papa smiled. "That's it, we've reached it!" They walked on the large jutting in front of the opening and were about to go through when Papa felt something stop him.

"What is it Papa Smurf?" Johan asked.

"I can't get through," Papa remarked. "We're being barred."

"What did those smurfing Elementals do this time?" Hefty glowered.

"Get you to your next gate!" remarked a deep male voice that seemed to fill the entire cavern. Wind blew and the cavern rumbled as the voice spoke and little gusts of wind appeared smiling and frowning at their visitors.

"Welcome to the last gate," the voice continued. "I am the Sylph, the Air Elemental. Congratulations, very few visitors ever reach the last gate. I am quite pleased. I know what you want and I know why you are here. I will grant you your request and allow you to go free, but the way is barred until you have fulfilled my request."

"And what is that request?" Johan asked warily.

"My only request is to let you go but one of you must agree to be sacrificed!" the Sylph said.

He waited for the gasps of surprise and shock to finish before he continued. "We don't like it when you reach the end without paying the ultimate price, but now we leave it up to you. It is all a matter of choice, one for the life of the others." The voice and the wind dissipated and eventually died down.

"What does that mean?" Sassette asked weakly.

"It means that one of us has to stay here, so the rest of us can leave," Hefty said.

"Not just stay, the instructions are very clear," Brainy said. "One of us must die."

"Wha..what? How can we do that?" Sassette desperately asked. "It isn't true is it Pappy?" She turned to Papa Smurf with tears in her eyes hoping for a denial.

Papa took both of Sassette's hands and held them tightly. He looked at the little female Smurfling wanting to preserve her innocence, wanting to tell her that it wasn't true, but he knew. "Yes my dear, I'm afraid it is."

"I'll do it," Johan said wearily. The others looked at him. "Let me do it, I got all of you into this as well as Peewit. Let me do it!"

"No," Brainy said. "We have to think this through logically over who is the most expendable."

Hefty glared at him. "As long as it's not you, is it?" He was ready to explode. "I can't believe you. Do you really listen to yourself when you talk? You are trying to decide on someone's life! But, since when do people or Smurfs matter to you, Mr. All Powerful King Smurf?"

Brainy glared at him and advanced towards Hefty. Papa Smurf held him back, but he still pushed forward. Brainy spoke in a loud and clear voice. "At least I'm not on this mission just to impress a female Smurf who will probably ignore you anyways for someone else!"

That was it. Hefty ran towards Brainy and the two fell into each other fighting and cursing at each other. They rolled on the ground as Papa, Johan and Sassette tried to stop them. Papa tried picking them up, but they would start up again. As they fought, they got closer to the ledge right where Sassette was standing. "Look out!" they yelled, but the force of their fight knocked both themselves and Sassette over and with a scream, they fell off the ledge.

Papa Smurf and Johan ran to the ledge calling the three Smurfs. They reached their arms down trying to feel for them, but it was no use. Papa stood up straight. "Leave them, there's nothing you can do," he said.

"But Papa," Johan objected.

"No," Papa firmly said. "I will try to retrieve them with my magic, if I fail it falls to you, Peewit needs you. If I fail, you have to go."

Johan nodded and stood back reluctantly. Papa opened his bag and sprinkled some powder down the side of the ledge and called out in a loud clear voice. "Friends that have fallen, return to my sight. Magic release them and give them the power of flight."

Johan and Papa Smurf stood for a few minutes as a loud roar filled the cavern below. A deep blast of wind emerged from the bottom. The gale knocked Johan to the side as he called for Papa Smurf. When he was able to stand again, he saw that Papa stood still like a statue.

"Papa!" Johan yelled running to him. He tapped him, but the elder Smurf was frozen. He sighed deeply feeling alone and in despair.

Suddenly, he felt someone watching him. Not just one presence, but four presences behind him. Johan closed his eyes and took a deep breath before slowly turning to face them, his eyes now burning with anger. "Go ahead," he said firmly. "Either let me go or kill me. I have let my friends die in vain, isn't that what you wanted? To see how far I would go? That I would let them die, isn't that what you wanted? Very well then, I did it. So just kill me now! We have been nothing but pawns in your sick games. That's all this is to you, isn't it? A game to see us suffer by your own devices. Well, the game is over and you lose because I will not go! I will die, but I will challenge you first!" Johan stood on the ledge, his sword ready, waiting for the inevitable.

Suddenly, a loud laugh rumbled throughout the cave as the ground shook. The Sylph spoke again. "Well done young squire. But I must tell you, you do not suffer by our devices, but by your own."

A light blared throughout the cave as four shapes appeared. Brainy, Sassette, Hefty and Papa were alive! They looked around, dazed but happy. One of the Sylph's minions appeared in front of the visitors and blew a small silvery liquid into Papa Smurf's bottle.

"You may leave us, but you will never forget this place," the Sylph warned them as another light blinded them and the Smurfs and Johan suddenly found themselves outside of the mountain with Bayard and Biquette, who neighed and bleated with delight upon seeing their friends again.

"We must return to the village, we haven't a moment to lose," Papa Smurf said as Johan unhitched the animals and picked up the Smurfs. Bayard and Biquette raced with their riders into the forest.


	7. Happy Reunion

**Chapter 7: Happy Reunion**

Smurfette, Handy and Nat watched the young human sadly. Peewit had long ago stopped being delirious. Instead he just slept, devoid of any strength. His breathing was coming in less and less and he was as pale as a ghost. The Smurfs watched the horizon somberly, but more out of habit now than anything else. They didn't hold much hope that Peewit would survive by the time the others returned.

"Do you see anything Clumsy?" Handy asked watching the Smurf on the tower.

Clumsy looked through the Smurfiscope hoping to catch sight of them, but so far saw nothing. He was about to reply in the negative when he heard horse hooves racing from far away. Clumsy's ears perked up. _Could it be_?, he thought. He picked up the Smurfiscope and looked through hoping beyond all hope. He never saw another image that made him happier! He whooped with delight. "I see them, I see them! They're coming!" he hollered. All the Smurfs ran out of their homes in delight as Clumsy tumbled out of the tower. Smurfette, Handy and Nat also ran to greet the travelers.

Johan dismounted Bayard and let the Smurfs down. Papa Smurf handed him the bottle as he ran to his sick friend's side. Johan reached Peewit and gently held him up by one arm.

"Let him drink and then put it on his wound," Papa said to him.

Johan poured some of the liquid into Peewit's mouth. He then opened his friend's shirt slightly and dripped the remaining liquid on the wound. Nothing happened. Johan and the Smurfs bowed their heads in silence.

Suddenly, the wound disappeared and Peewit started to regain his breath. His pale color became rosier as he slowly opened his eyes. He looked up at Johan and gave him a weak but impish smile. "What took you so long?" he said lightly.

Johan smiled and embraced his little friend tightly as the Smurfs cheered and hugged each other. Biquette bleated happily as she ran towards Peewit, jumping onto and knocking over the laughing jester. She greeted him enthusiastically, lapping him all over his face with her tongue.

That night the Smurfs held a celebration in honor of Peewit's recovery and the safe return of their friends. The little blue creatures lit lanterns and hung them up throughout the entire Smurf Village. A red-hot bonfire was lit and illuminated the sky with a bright glow. A table was laid out with lots and lots of food to Peewit's delight, as he quickly regained his appetite. Even Johan ate quite a lot into the bargain.

As soon as Brainy finished his meal, he stood up and started to lecture the other Smurfs. "Greed is a very wicked thing. I really don't think you should eat all that food….". He didn't finish because he was pelted with pies and cakes. "Oh, Smurf up Brainy! Don't be so greedy yourself!" laughed the other Smurfs.

What with all the food, singing, dancing, and fun they were having ,everyone had exhausted themselves by the early morning hours.

Johan and Peewit stayed a little while longer after the celebration had ended, until Peewit was feeling well enough to ride. When they left, the Smurfs wished them goodbye as they rode off into the horizon.

Hefty was watching them leave when the Smurfette's laughter caught his attention. He turned to see her happily chatting away in deep animated conversation with Handy, Dreamy and Jokey. _What __could_ _they be saying to her to make her laugh so much?_, he thought. Hefty then heard someone behind him clear his throat to get his attention. He turned to see Brainy. "What is it?" Hefty asked.

"I wanted to apologize for what I said in the mountain, they were words spoken out of error," Brainy said.

Hefty grinned. Brainy didn't have to translate that line. "No, it was my fault. I was way out of line."

"Blame it on both sides I suppose." Brainy said.

Hefty smiled.

"Would you like to join me for a glass of Smurfberry juice and I can help you with some advice on how to win the Smurfette?" Brainy smiled.

Hefty eyed him skeptically, but then shook his hand. "You're on!"

The male Smurflings walked up to Sassette. "So, now tell us, what happened in the mountain?"Nat asked.

"Yeah, did you see any monsters?" Slouchy added.

"Come on tell us, don't keep us in suspense." Snappy agreed

Sassette grinned and gathered her male companions around. "Well, when we reached the mountain, there was this real pretty lady….."

Papa Smurf watched as Sassette told the story and the rest of the Smurfs returned to their normal activities. He then went inside his house to record the adventure in his journal.

* * *

><p>Two days later, Johan sat on a stone bench in the courtyard and sharpened his sword with a flint stone. Occasionally, he would look up to gaze at Princess Sabina, who sat by her window brushing her long red hair and humming to herself, unaware that she was being watched. He and Peewit had returned to the castle to hear the news that when Sir Phillippe and the other knights had reached Balthazar's lair, the evil wizard had disappeared leaving no trace that he had been there. That news didn't bother Johan at all, but something kept entering his mind.<p>

"I thought I might find you here," said a merry voice.

Johan looked up to see Peewit standing next to him. The jester sat beside him with a concerned look on his face. "You know, for a guy who just saved his best friend's life, you look bluer than our blue buddies. Would you rather I had died?"

"No! Of course not! Peewit, don't joke about that." Johan said. "I'm all right."

"You don't sound all right," Peewit said. "What's the matter? You can tell me."

Then Johan told him everything that had happened on the journey. Peewit shuddered audibly at the fire gate and clicked his tongue at the mention of the earth gate.

"What if the Elementals are right?" Johan asked. "What if I am the evil monster they say I am?"

"No, you're not," Peewit said just as determined. "Listen, I have known for you for years. Those Elementals only knew you for two days. They don't know the real you like I do. Would Johan the Black Hearted go through that kind of hell for his best friend? No, I don't think so."

"But, you followed me," Johan said. "I forced you."

"No, you didn't force me, I came on my own," Peewit said. "When you want me to come with you, I do so because you're my best friend and because I want to. Okay, so sometimes you have to persuade me a little more, but I do it because I care about you. It's my own choice, got it? So, don't go taking the credit for it! Maybe, the Elementals were warning you, telling you what you could become if you don't watch yourself. But, I know that won't happen."

"How do you know?" Johan asked.

"I know because my heart tells me so," Peewit replied.

Johan smiled for the first time since the celebration at the Smurf Village, but couldn't think of anything to say.

Peewit cleared his throat and rose. "Come on, enough of this gloom and doom stuff. Let's go to Bell's tavern! I'll buy," he smiled.

Johan stood up next to him and raised a quizzical eyebrow. "All right, but what if her brothers are there?"

Peewit gasped and stammered. "All right, you go into Bell's ahead of me."

Johan laughed at Peewit's response as he lightly tousled the jester's wild shock of blonde hair.

The two friends walked out of the courtyard and into the village, both of them feeling happier for the first time in days.

**The End**

* * *

><p>Well, that's the end of this story. It's been really fun writing this and I hope you enjoyed it. Part two coming up in the near future :)<p>

Thanks so much for all your reviews.


End file.
